We have recently had a few new people join our martial arts school (Kuk Sool Won™ of Pukekohe and Onewhero). This has given me the opportunity to reflect on the many benefits white belts bring to our school, as well as the challenges and issues they face when they start their training. In this first blog in a series relating to white belts, I will look at why new students are great for a martial arts school.

We really value our new students and it’s not for the reason you make think. Sure they bring in some more income for us, which helps with the costs of running a martial arts school. But our white belts bring much more to our school than money.

White belts bring energy and enthusiasm to a school. They are excited about their training and their enthusiasm is infectious. For example, I teach a class of 5 and 6 year olds and we have recently had 4 new students join us. I feel energised at the end of our class by their passion for learning and the joy they bring to their training. A white belt’s enthusiasm also rubs off on other students. It makes the school a happy, vibrant and energised environment, which is great for everyone.

Observing and helping white belts shows our other students how far they have come with their own training. This provides an important sense of perspective, as it is easy for students to focus on their challenges and the things they cannot do well. They can easily lose sight of what they do know and their own achievements.

Our more advanced students learn by helping our white belts. They get to practice and refine their fundamental skills and material. This enables them to develop a deeper understanding of the basics, which in turn, helps them to improve as martial artists.

The process of learning something new, like martial arts, requires a great deal of patience, practice and perseverance. It takes time to develop our patience. Over time we also begin to understand the importance of consistent and good quality practice and we learn how to persevere with our training despite the many challenges we will face. White belts remind us of the importance of these “3 Ps”, how they affect our training, and more broadly, our lives.

Every new person brings something unique to a school. They all have different skills and abilities, personalities and life experiences. This diversity makes for an interesting, rich and dynamic environment and helps build the collegiality that is encouraged in a traditional martial arts school.

Without white belts, we would never have any black belts. They are the foundation upon which a traditional martial arts school is built.

In my role, I specialise in teaching our white belts. I choose to do this as I find working with new students to be very rewarding. Everything they learn is new to them and I enjoy seeing their progress and being part of their martial arts journey. I feel that I am, in some small way, able to make a difference to their lives. Teaching our white belts also reminds me of how far I have come with my own training, which is a humbling experience, As well, it helps me to continuously refine my own skills and knowledge of the basics of my martial art. Therefore, I gain at least as much from teaching our white belts, as they do from learning from me. It is a mutually beneficial relationship.

For those of you who have recently started a martial art and feel that you are “just a white belt”, I urge you to wear your white belt with pride. You are a fundamental part of your martial arts school and bring so many important benefits to your fellow students and instructors.